Whip-socket lock.



P. H. BETHEA.

WHIP SOCKET LOCK. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1917.

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Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

ATTORNEY PETER H. BETHEA, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.-

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I Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented. Sept. 25, 1917.

Application filed March 30, 1917. Serial No. 158,704.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER H. BE'IHEA, a citizen of the United States andState of 'South Carolina. residing'at 2023 E street northwest, in thecity of Washington and District of Columbia, have invented new anduseful Improvements in VVhip-Socket Locks, of which the following is aspecificaclaimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawingswherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of this improved whip socketentire, showing it attached to one corner of the dashboard.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the several parts of the deviceconnected.

Figs. 3-4-5 and 6' aredetails of the parts yet to be described.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral l designates a tubular barrelwhich is closed at its lower end as shown at 2 and is provided at itsupper end with aseriesof parallel spring tongues 3, each of which has aninturned and serrated jaw 4 at its upper extremity. Surrounding saidtongues and spaced slightly therefrom is a sleeve 5, whose lower end isriveted as at 6 to the upper end of the barrel, and screwed at 7 to theupper end of the sleeve is an ornamental hollow knob or ball 8 which isintended to finish off the upper end of the structure and give it a neatappearance. The spring tongues 3 work freely inside the sleeve 5, andtheir jaws are intended to grip the butt of the whip W at a pointsomewhere within the ornamental knob 8 as seen in Fig. 2. For causingsaid gripping ac tion, a slidable collar or annular wedge, best seen inFig. 5, is provided, the same having its body 10 rather thicker at theupper edge than at the lower edge so that as it is forced downward itdeflects the tongues 3 inward. For moving it downward it is providedwith a strip member 11 which hangs to a point below the sleeve 5 and isvisible in Fig. 1, and the lower end of this member may be bent outwardso as to provide a suitable hand-hold. A coiled spring 12 surrounds thetongues 3, its lower end resting on a shoulder 13 where said tonguesunite with the barrel 1, and its upper end pressing against the lowerend of the wedge-body 10. Sand body is provided internally with a seriesof upright ribs 15 which move between certain of the'tongues and permitthe wedge to have-a reclprocating movement but prevent it from rotating,and therefore the strip 11'a1wayshangs at one point which is toward theuser. When now :the strip is drawn upon it is obvious that the wedgewill be moved downward between the sleeve 5 and the tongues 3, and thejaws 4 at the upper ends of the latter will be thrown inward againstthebutt of the whip 3 and when the strip 11 is released,the spring 14will move the wedge upward again'and free H the whip.

The locking feature of this device is as follows :-In' the outer face ofthe wedge is provided an upright series of recesses 20.

Directly opposlte this series of recesses stands the spring member bestseen in Fig. 6. It is composed of an outer leaf 21 which may be rivetedor otherwise secured within the sleeve 5, and an inner leaf 22 dependingfrom the'upper end of the outer leaf and normally springing inwardtherefrom; and

"the lower end of the inner leaf carries a adapted to enter any of theretongue 23 Secured within the sleeve is a cesses 20.

lock whose case is best shown at 24:, with its key-hole 25 openingthrough the forward side of the sleeve where the user may insert a key.The bolt26 of this look is here shown as shot, and when this bolt isprojected it is passed behind the lower and free end of the inner leaf22, between it and the outer leaf 21, and prevents said free end andtherefore the tongue 23 from moving so as to disengage the recesses 20.Therefore when the wedge is drawn down by the strip 11 to such a degreeas is permitted by the inward movements of the tongues and jaws, one ofthe recesses will engage the tongue 23. Thereafter the operator byshooting the bolt of the lock projects it behind the lower end of theinner leaf, and prevents the disengagement of the tongue from the recessand therefore the upward movement of the wedge. The lock may be of suchtype as requires a key, and if so he carries the key with him when heleaves the vehicle. On his return he inserts the key and retracts thebolt, when the leaf 22 is free to move. In order to move itfrom theexterior of the device, I provide a handle 27 which is connected withthe inner leaf 22 and passes farther through a hole 28 in the I outerleaf and in the front wall of the sleeve, and is headed at its free endso that the operator may grasp it. Having re tracted the bolt, he nowgrasps the handle and draws upon it, with the result that the tongue isretracted and disengaged. from the notch, 20, in which it formerlyrested, and the spring 1% causes the wedge immediately to rise sothatthe jaws 4 release the butt of the whip. The parts are all preferably ofmetal, suitably treated to prevent rust and possess a neat appearance;and I do not wish to be limited to details further than as hereinafterset forth. I a

What is claimed as new is I r 1'. In a whip socket lock, the combinationwith barrel having a series of spring tongues at its upper end, eachprovided with an inwardly facing jaw, and a sleeve see cured to thebarrel and surroundlng said tongues; of an annular wedge interposedbetweenthe sleeve and tongues, a spring for holding the wedge normallyraised, a strip depending from the wedge between the barrd and sleeveand having a'hand-h0ld outside the barrel for moving the wedgevdownwardagainst the tension of said spring, a latch on the sleeve for engagingsaid wedge in its'depressed position, and a lock for the latch.

2. In a whip socket lock, the combination with a tubular barrelshouldered at its upper end and continued thence upward inspringtongues, a sleeve secured at its lower end to Oobies of this patent maybe. obtained foxfive cents each, by addressing the Washington. D. 0.

the upper end of said barrel and surrounding said tongues, a coiledspring surrounding the tongues and resting on said shoulder, and anannular wedge whose lower end rests on said spring and Whose outer faceis provided with an upright series of recesses; of means for manuallydepressing the wedge fro-m the exterior of the sleeve, a spring latch onits interior having a tongue adapted to engage any of said recesses,means for locking the latch to prevent the disengagement of the tonguefrom a recess, and means for retracting the latch when the lock isretracted. I w 3. In a whip socket lock, the combination vith a tubularbarrel shouldered at its upper end and continued thence upward in springtongues, a sleeve secured at its lower end to the upper end of saidbarrel and surrounding said tongues, a coiled spring surroundingthetongues and resting on said shoulder, and an annular Wedge whoselower I edge rests on said spring and whose outer face is provided withan upright series of recesses; of means for manually depressing thewedge fromf the exterior of the sleeve, a latch of inverted V -shapewhose outer leaf is secured within the sleeve and whose inner leaf has atongue adapted to engage any of said recesses, a handle connected withsaidinner leaf and extending through the outer leaf and sleeve to withinreach of the user, and a lock secured within said sleeve and having abolt adapted to be raised behind the inner leaf to prevent the movementof to disengage it from said recesses.

' In testimony whereof'I affix my signa ture.

f PETER H; Burnett.

"Commissioner of Patents.

the latter

